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Rhea Ripley wins Elimination Chamber; earns title shot at WrestleMania
It appears that the tag team journey of Rhiyo has reached its conclusion. For the fourth consecutive year, and fifth time in six years, Rhea Ripley will battle for one of the main roster World Championships at WrestleMania following her victory at Elimination Chamber. The move adds immediate intrigue to a title picture that has languished since the rise of the Women’s Tag Team Division last year. Ripley and Jade Cargill have rarely interacted to this point and, on paper, make for an explosive match-up.
The table appears set for a Smackdown-based title reign for Ripley, which will move her in a separate direction from her recent tag partner Iyo Sky for the foreseeable future. It also seemingly thrusts Sky into the title mix on Raw following Mania. The duo leaves the tag division better than they found it and also still stacked with a handful of super teams who will continue to raise its profile.
If the stars align, we could be on course for an epic showdown between the two Rhiyo members around this time next year.
ZaRuca dissolves
Following months of simmering tension, the trigger was finally pulled on the break up of Zaria and Sol Ruca. The eventual turn by Zaria felt so obvious that it was almost surprising things didn’t turn out differently. The challenge seemed to be making the expected as much of a surprise as possible and, to that end, it was pulled off wonderfully.
With Sol Ruca clearly on track for a main roster promotion, her title match against Jacy Jayne was always going to be more angle than match. This was given away by two obvious clues – the fact that their match wasn’t given the main event slot and also Zaria’s over the top buddy treatment of Ruca prior to the match. It was as much a kind consideration as it was a surprise that the turn took place prior to the match rather than putting the wrestlers and the audience through a lengthy contest before pulling the trigger.
Zaria was instantly embraced by the live audience, who had clearly been waiting long enough for this break up. It’s not that she’s more popular than the insanely over Sol Ruca; it’s more the fact that everyone knows Ruca is moving on while Zaria is just kicking off her NXT singles run. She’ll be champ soon, possibly even by this week. And while speculation is that Ruca will move to the main roster without this feud coming to a head, it seems unlikely she would start a fresh run on Raw or Smackdown this close to WrestleMania. We have just enough time for a satisfying conclusion to the ZaRuca saga.
Penelope Ford injured; Harley Cameron attacked
For as much as WWE makes light of male toxicity through the Kit Wilson character, a segment of AEW viewers took their boots to the ground this week following an injury suffered by Penelope Ford during MegaBad’s match for the AEW Tag Team Titles versus The Babes of Wrath.
Near the midway point of the contest, Ford attempted a moonsault to the outside of the ring. Replays showed Harley Cameron slightly out of position to catch Ford. When she made an adjustment to avoid eating a high-velocity knee, Ford crashed to the ground, suffering a sprain. By the following afternoon, Cameron, a wildly popular member of the AEW roster, deactivated her X account, due to a wave of harassment and blame over Ford’s injury.
News of the attacks prompted an additional wave of fans to come to the defense of Cameron. Outside of the treatment Ridge Holland received following a botch that would ultimately end the in-ring career of Big E in 2022, though, this sudden severe treatment seems typically and unfairly reserved for women wrestlers.
There were rumors that the outcome of the match was changed and that MegaBad was originally scheduled to win the tag titles. With Ford since receiving word that major injury was avoided, it will be interesting to see how the titles are handled moving forward.
Women dominate Honor Club
Fans of women’s wrestling received an unexpected treat this past Thursday courtesy of Ring of Honor’s Honor Club service. On a week where NXT offered up a full 71 seconds of in-ring action, WWE wasted a Jordynne Grace match as a way to get over a male performer’s comedy schtick and AEW Dynamite found time for one match, and with a screwy finish at that, ROH delivered.
Viewers were treated to two title defenses and three clean finishes, including Red Velvet defeating the very busy Zayda Steel as well as an enhancement match showcasing CMLL star and recent AEW signee, Persephone. Deonna Purrazzo successfully defended the ROH Pure Championship over Trish Adora in a main event matchup that was heavily promoted throughout the program.
After a couple years of filming their content prior to Dynamite and Collision, Ring of Honor hosted the first of what will hopefully be many stand-alone studio tapings this past Sunday. The setting could offer viewers a more complete show than the assembly of taped matches we’ve been getting, but on a week like this, it’s hard to find fault with that arrangement.
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Stray observations:
Raw:
-Liv was awesome playing the wounded girlfriend—wearing an oversized jacket and hiding behind Dominik when Vaquer first approached. She even offered nervous, pensive laughter in reaction to Dom, which made her seem more vulnerable. If we’re to find logic in this plan, I’d say it feels like her behavior was meant to lull Stephanie into a state of comfort so it was easy for Liv to knock her out. It was a lot of work for only that end result, but it accomplished what she set out for, and did so in an entertaining way. In canon, that keeps fans invested in her and continues to land her prime segments on the show.
-The injury angle cutting off the Maxxine-Nattie match so early on was a disappointment. Maxxine is still awkward with a lot of her movement, but her kicks look awesome as always. I felt like things were just beginning to heat up when the match got called. Initially, I thought the bump into the ring post looked silly and exaggerated, but it was such an awkward finish that I kinda wonder now if Maxxine is actually okay.
-Becky has been the same self-absorbed heel for the past year, yet managed to freshen up the act by adapting expressions and mannerisms of Trump. It’s seriously the only lampooning of him that doesn’t manage to depress me while making me laugh.
-I would love to see the booking protect Kairi in the same way it does Iyo. They are two of the best wrestlers in the world today and with a few tweaks, Kairi could be just as big of a star.
-Was that a reflexive high five that they were forced to play off?
-Awesome to watch how far Raquel has come. I didn’t think she’ll win the chamber match, but not because she isn’t credible, more because it would set up a heel-heel match against Jade at WM. She’s otherwise extremely qualified at this point.
-We are spoiled by how much casual Iyo we get on TV right now. She’s so good that it’s almost taken for granted.
NXT:
-The chemistry between Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair is so good and their interactions so natural that it shines even in a 30-second segment. Here’s hoping that the current elevation of the women’s tag scene on the main roster is more of a long game that sees acts like this rise and receive instant credibility by hopping into the mix.
-Jacy Jayne just feels more and more like a star every week. I think this is a solid example of the title making the wrestler. She seems destined for the main roster soon and, when she gets there, I believe she’ll have the tools to stay over, even without a belt.
-Fallon Henley appears primed to rise to true NXT main eventer status. If Jayne is out the door soon, that opportunity is wide open.
-Thea Hail is so fun to watch. She is built for the Speed title. I hope this whole tournament is a set up to give us that exactly.
-Blake Monroe should eventually be a big star on the main roster. It’s crazy, though, to see how much they’ve (unintentionally?) broken her down before building her back up.
-Two women’s matches running a combined total of 1:11. NXT brags about its women’s division being the best in wrestling, but it’s not always treated as such.
-Zaria looks like a beast now. Though I have to say, if the threat is “fight me or I’ll beat you up,” it seems kinda foolish for Jacy to take the bait and put the belt on the line when the attempted end result on Zaria’s part will be the same, regardless.
Dynamite:
-Babes of Wrath really have their timing down when it comes to delivering stereo execution. Equally as impressive is MegaBad being just as good at receiving it.
-Was Lena Cross introduced as a way of keeping Ford active in the tag division while Megan Bayne splits off to battle Willow for the TBS title? If so, are we that far away from finding MegaBad dripping in gold?
ROH:
-Trish Adora excels with her promos. No yelling, no pauses to remember the next line, no awkward emphasis. She looks directly into the camera and calmly explains how she will destroy her opponent and I, for one, believe it.
-The baking gimmick of Red Velvet has always been a little silly. It’s funny, though, how much less that matters as she continues to elevate her in-ring performances. She was also the only female competitor this week to follow through with the match opening handshake rather than deflecting it with a kick.
-Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman are fantastic on commentary at getting over both the personas and skills of the wrestlers. Persephone, for example, is absolutely capable of winning over the audience on her own. But rather than fight the tide against a distracted or unknowledgeable broadcast team, her ability was accentuated throughout her match with Johnnie Robbie. The story the two told was clear as day and a joy to watch. Persephone is a total menace.
-Deonna Purrazzo spoke out recently about the lack of TV time she’s been receiving. Showcases like the one against Trish Adora on this week’s program only bolster her case. The nearly ten-minute main event lived up to the hype it received through prerecorded promos and numerous mid-show graphics.
-Already satisfied with the amount of women’s coverage on this show, I was delighted to see even more after the main event. Billie Starkz and Diamante attacked Purrazzo after the bell along with a post-handshake beatdown by Adora. We then closed with an effective prerecorded promo by Athena. Just an incredible all around showing this week on Honor Club.
TNA:
-Dani Luna and Lei Ying Lee was a solid match centered around frustrating logic. Why did the referee not instantly remove the chain from the turnbuckle after Luna wrapped it there? Then, the ref presumably forgets about it and misses Luna using it to help secure the win? Sloppy work.
-That said, Luna going over was the right call. Lee doesn’t suffer for the loss and Luna ticks up a notch.
-Alisha Edwards was so set on not signing a new contract that a few seconds of Moose essentially saying “Aw, c’mon,” with little to no eye contact turned her head around completely?
-Mickey James has said she’s uncertain on what the future holds after making her return for this angle with Ash. The attack after the promo battle showed us the threat the Elegance brand poses, but if Mickey is to stick around for a while, it’d be cool to see her spend more time working with talent she can elevate, like M and Heather, instead of trading barbs with a fellow veteran in Ash.
-I continue to struggle with the presence of the Concierge. I like the woman-heavy presentation of the Elegance Brand and, certainly, having a couple male underlings in the midst helps drive home the dominance of the women, but why do the majority of male “managers” in wrestling today present as such tacky, unrealistic carnies?
-Mr. Elegance is fine. Kinda funny.
-Daria Rae started out as a rather cartoonish villain, but already it’s easy to understand her frustration with Santino. She’s also got excellent delivery and seems to have a firm grasp on her character.
-Fun banana-peel victory for Jada Stone. Her athleticism was given a chance to shine and the indication seems to be a longer program with Steelz, which can only be good.
Smackdown:
-Charlotte’s backstage performance was low key a big deal. I was worried for a moment last week when she made her classic “Queen” entrance, complete with the trademark bravado. They’d worked so hard to move her away from that unlikable persona and it seemed she had defaulted right back to it. In hindsight, that was likely just her “game face” heading into a big match and was also intended to be a factor in helping get over the shock of Kiana James eventual victory.
-Charlotte has said she dislikes that old character as much as we do. Segments like tonight prove that. Yes, it was silly, and a little over the top (three pints of ice cream?), but she was telling a story that seems to imply this more vulnerable and relatable version of her will be sticking around for a while. My favorite part was her standing up to acknowledge Jade’s arrival, not out of respect but to assert her own presence. Yet, there she remained, gently sobbing, with the spoon in her mouth.
-I believe we’re heading towards a Charlotte-Alexa tag match at Mania, and I hope the two stick together long after that. It’s just working.
-Well, I, for one, could listen to Asuka yell “I’m smart, I’m smart!” for at least another couple minutes. She can be so bewilderingly entertaining sometimes.
-Tiffany has been spinning her wheels ever since losing the title to Jade, and the biggest issue seems to be her lack of direction as a default babyface. While this new program will be a nice elevation for Chelsea, I’m concerned it leaves Tiffany with little room to evolve.
-Chelsea Green delivers the line of the night in response to Joe Tessitore commenting on her appearing upset: “I had no reaction. My face didn’t even move. I get Botox, Joe.”
-It’s great that Johnny Gargano is getting some regular screen time right now, but the one-note joke went from so-not-funny-that-it’s-funny back to not being funny really quickly. Now that it’s being used to ruin what could’ve been a decent match between Jordynne and Candice, I’m really over it.
-Jordynne Grace took what was meant to be a tune-up program for Jade and made many of us wish it was actually her getting the title shot at Mania. She’s too talented to waste away as an extra in comedy skits and I feel she will force the company to give her a bigger role once we get past April.
-With Rhea moving back into the World Title picture, it appears Rhiyo has reached the end of the line. What an unexpectedly heartwarming partnership that ended up being. It elevated the tag scene and also added additional depth to both individuals.
Collison:
-Our prelim spotlight goes to the Brawling Bird’s opponents, Tyra Russamee & Gypsy Mac. The Bangkok-born Russamee began wrestling a decade ago, at the age of 30, debuting with Singapore Pro Wrestling. She traveled the indy circuit from there and settled in Denver, Col. at the start of the pandemic. She’s currently co-owner of Primos Pro Wrestling and runs a wrestling school as well. Fun fact: Russamee was on the winning end of a four-way tag team match in 2017 that also served as the debut match of AEW’s newest addition, Lena Kross.
-Gypsy Mac has been an indie staple since 2020 and made her AEW Dark debut in 2022 in a loss to Athena. She also holds a victory from that same year over her partner tonight, Tyra Russamee.
-While the commentary team struggles to pronounce or makes jokes about their names, it’s worth keeping in mind that women who’ve spent years grinding on the indies absolutely busted their asses earning themselves these enhancement spots.
-Any time I see Jessie McKay and Cassie Lee, I think about how they were inexplicably broken up at the peak of their WWE run. They’re such a fun tandem, in the ring and especially on the mic. That the two long-time friends were pointlessly split up and then released left them both traumatized by the industry. Now that they’re back with a major promotion, you have to expect they are primed to make the most of this run. They’re currently throwing heelish barbs at the Brawling Birds, but it’s difficult to imagine them not being fully embraced by the fans in short order.
-The Brawling Birds seem to have borrowed the vibes of the Brawling Brutes, right down to the comments they make about grabbing some pints after the show. It’s a fun twist on the routine and both women appear to be all in on the gimmick.
-Toni Storm’s entrance always elevates whatever show she’s on.
-I loved Zayda’s “Sorry, Toni!” prior to the snapmare out of the corner.
-This was essentially a squash with a fun little sub-story of Zayda having so much respect for her revered opponent.
-It appears Timeless Toni is heading back to singles competition, with Marina Shafir as her ready-made opponent. I worry the Storm character has lost her way after intentionally pairing off into the tag division for the past several months. It doesn’t feel like simply jumping back to the kind-hearted silver screen star will get us where we need to go, though. In a way, Toni may be walking a similar path to that of Sami Zayn. It feels like he finally knows where he’s going. It might be time for Storm to make a similar adjustment.
-Julia Hart has been growing into her dark persona for years, always adding in small tweaks along the way. The over-the-top nature of her character has bought her plenty of time to improve in-ring along the way. Along with Skye Blue, the Sisters of Sin are an absolute vibe.
-Thunder Rosa looked more fluid in this tag match than she did the week before.
-Not sure it should be alongside Thunder, but it feels like there’s something to Statlander as a tag wrestler. Her size and power plays well alongside a slightly smaller partner.
-Thekla has risen quickly. Her mic work the past two weeks is showing she is ready to be the face of the AEW women’s division.
Elimination Chamber:
-Kiana James showed great intensity during her time in the Chamber and it was a treat to find her as one of the two starting entrants. Her jumping Asuka the moment the pod opened was an unexpected surprise.
-Tiffany’s back flip into Raquel’s pod sounded painful, but Raquel’s reaction of laughter really stole the moment.
-It’s interesting to see participants of a Chamber match picked off in order of how we sense their current significance as singles wrestlers. Alexa, Asuka, and James going down first came as no surprise.
-The booking seems firmly behind Raquel and it will be interesting to see what they can find for her at Mania. As tempting as it seems to be for them to put her at odds with Liv Morgan, they’re both so great in their current roles that I hope the idea gets put on hold for a while longer.
-Many of us remembered that A.J. Lee is a New Jersey native, which made it all the more confusing that they leaned into her being from Chicago as a way of further endearing her to the live audience. Cole even described her as “Chicago’s own” prior to the match. I get that she now lives there, but it all served to make it completely silly that she was then announced as hailing from Union City, N.J. during her entrance. Crickets.
-Becky Lynch deserves all the praise for making a one-on-one match with someone with A.J.’s rust work so well.
Thanks so much for reading. Feel free to leave a comment or drop a line via email at jeffp.rush@gmail.com or on Twitter/X @nottherightjeff.
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